May 2020
Update on Convention
Psi Upsilon launches new recruitment support!
Xi Author raises money for charitable foundation
Sigma Phi Founder shifts distillery to produce hand sanitizer
Epsilon Iota Alumnus uses 3D Printing for first responders
The Tau chapter gives back
2020 March Challenge is in the books!
Receive a member discount from Geico
Chapter Newsletters
Speaker Series
Annual Fund Update
In Memoriam
Upcoming Events
Live Q&A, additionally, questions can be submitted in advance to jonathan@psiu.org
May 7, 2020 @ 6 PM Eastern Time. Click the image to register!
The Executive Council of Psi Upsilon has decided to postpone the 177th Psi U Convention until 2021 in Madison, WI and we will return to Atlanta in 2023, the next open date for convention. The well-being of our brothers is our greatest concern, and we do not feel we could provide a safe and responsible environment given the current environment and uncertainty of the future. We are still committed to hosting a quality virtual event in its place and holding a remote experience to report on the activities of the Fraternity, Foundation and Executive Council and all brothers of the fraternity will be invited to attend.
Psi Upsilon launches new recruitment support!
Phired Up is the premiere organization to help fraternity and sorority chapters grow, and Psi Upsilon is excited to partner with them and become one of the first fraternities to offer their digital classrooms to all of it’s undergraduate brothers and advisers and give brothers the opportunity to become a certified Phired Up Recruiter!
In addition we’ve purchased licenses for every chapter advisor for their own digital class which will provide them the tools to best coach the undergraduate chapter and their recruitment needs.
Psi Upsilon is excited to partner with Phired Up and are providing every undergraduate chapter with full access to their Digital Classrooms for the 2020-21 year to help support every chapter’s recruitment efforts during these turbulent times. Phired Up is the premiere organization to help fraternity and sorority chapters grow, and Psi Upsilon has become one of the first fraternities to offer their digital classrooms to all of it’s undergraduate brothers and advisers!
Brothers of Psi Upsilon Respond to Covid-19 in their Communities
Xi Author raises money for charitable foundation
COVID-19 has forced bookstores across the country to shut their doors for an undetermined length of time, and booksellers across the globe have their livelihoods threatened. Everything from iconic bookstores such as the Strand in New York City or Powell’s in Portland to many many smaller stores must close down operations in order to ride out this viral storm. Jason Pinter, Xi ’03 (Wesleyan), is using his publishing company, POLIS BOOKS, to help. On June 16th, Polis Books will publish “LOCKDOWN: Stories of Terror, Crime, and Hope During a Pandemic,” edited by Nick Kolakowski and Steve Weddle. All proceeds from sales of LOCKDOWN will go to BINC, the Book Industry Charitable Foundation, a nonprofit that assists booksellers in need. Learn more about the anthology here and pre-order here. You can join us on May 28th for a Q&A Zoom with Jason as part of out Virtual Speaker Series. Free to all PsiUs, significant others, and friends, register here.
If you want to get to know a little more about Jason and his work, here’s an excellent interview with him by Ryan Steck.
Sigma Phi Founder shifts distillery to produce hand sanitizer
Psi Upsilon service to society and civic engagement on display; Bluebird Distilling (owned by a Psi U) switched to formulating hand sanitizer in late March to help combat the COVID-19 pandemic. Jared Adkins, Sigma Phi ‘08 (St. Francis University), has owned and operated Bluebird Distilling in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania since 2015 (they have since opened locations Center City and Old City as well). In addition to owning Bluebird Distilling, Jared is a founder of the Sigma Phi chapter. Bluebird Distilling produces award-winning spirits in a variety of categories, with the rye, bourbon, and brandy being particularly well regarded. After seeing the need for hand sanitizer in their community in mid-March, Bluebird has completely retooled operations to produce gallons of World Health Organization recommended formula hand sanitizer, adding peroxide and glycerine to their distilled alcohol. They’ve produced over 1000 gallons, mostly packaged in 5 gallon containers (individual containers are hard to come by right now). A lot of what they’ve produced has been donated from the company to local charities like the children’s hospital and other local emergency centers and services. Bluebird’s Phoenixville Distillery is open.
We first learned about his efforts from this article; there are some more great quotes from Jared here.
Epsilon Iota Alumnus uses 3D Printing for first responders
Jean-Etienne LaVallee, Epsilon Iota ’94 (Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute), lives in Richmond, VA and is also a huge member of the “maker” community there – designers and fabricators who use 3d printing and machining skills to make just about anything. With the onset of the pandemic Etienne and his friends Larkin Garbee, Adam Gainer, Bert Green, & Jeff Rock launched the Starwars themed “MakeItThru Alliance” to produce medical community approved face shields. Assembled from approved materials in a sterile environment, the Alliance has made over 15,000, starting with a donation of 500 to friends in the Navajo Nation. They have since donated many more to native tribes, extended care and clinical facilities in Virginia and elsewhere.
MakeItThrough is also a valuable resource if you have question about how to use you maker skills and resources to help medical personnel in your area; contact them makeitthru@goodworksociety.org
We are proud to announce that undergrads at the Tau chapter at University of Pennsylvania have donated $1873 of leftover dues to the PHL COVID-19 fund. Read more.
2020 March Challenge is in the books!
The #2020PsiUMarchChallenge is in the books!
Congratulations to the Gamma Tau (Georgia Institute of Technology) for winning the challenge!
Strong back and forth competition from the Omicron (University of Illinois) who took 2nd, with the Phi (University of Michigan) coming in 3rd.
See how your chapter did here.
Thank you to our matching donors!
- Larry Rakers, Omicron ’86 – matched $2500 for the Omicron
- Garrett Gleim, Tau ’01 – matched $2500 for the Tau
- Alex Senchak, Eta ’06 – matched $2500 for the Eta
- Greg Rupp, Phi ’81 – matched $500 for the Phi
Thanks as well to our boosters who spread the word, everyone who sent in pictures in their Psi U finery, and everyone who participated in the challenge! 94 donors raised over $20,000 in support of the annual fund and will help fund Psi Upsilon’s scholarships, grants, and programming. We’ll compete again for the trophy next year!
Receive a member discount from GEICO
Did you know Psi Upsilon has a partnership with GEICO for all your insurance needs? GEICO offers an additional member discount for all Psi U’s, get your home, renters or auto policy quote here.
Best of all your completed quote also benefits Psi U!
A few of our chapters regularly publish chapter newsletters. Click here to see the latest news of our Xi, Eta, and Phi chapters!
Our Speaker Series continues virtually, but seats are limited. Secure your spot by clicking the links and signing up today!
A Conversation with Harlan Coben. Live Q&A, additionally questions can be submitted in advance to asenchak@psiu.org
Q&A focusing on How to Get Published, Working as an Author, & his New Projects
2020 Founder’s Society Members
See a listing of brothers whose passing has been reported to us since July 2019.
May 6 @ 6-7 PM EST Chapter Corporation Presidents & Alumni Advisors Town Hall May 7 Virtual Speaker Series James Mazzarella, Epsilon Nu ’88 May 14 Virtual Speaker Series A Conversation with Harlan Coben May 28 Virtual Speaker Series Q&A with Advice on Working as an Author and How to Get Published Click here for a complete list of Psi U events. If you’re interested in sponsoring an event in your area or to have your event listed in the calendar please email Director of Engagement Jonathan Chaffin (jonathan@psiu.org). |
Have news to pass along? We’d love to hear from you! Please send email to Executive Director Thomas Fox (tfox@psiu.org)
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